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Daniel Cunningham

The skills learned at Purdue enabled me to understand both the physical and human aspects of systems, to effectively trouble shoot existing systems, and to design new or improved systems.

Industrial Technology '68

President/Chief Operating Officer for Parish Manufacturing

A 21-year career in the U.S. Army provided Daniel Cunningham with a well- rounded resume. When he retired as a Lt. Colonel in 1989, he moved to the private sector as a production manager at Parish Manufacturing in Indianapolis. Within five years he was leading the company.

Parish Manufacturing produces liquid bag-in-box systems serving the food, beverage, water and chemical industries. It manufactures products as small as one quart and as large as 55 gallons. As the company leader, Cunningham’s duties focus on efficiently running the company as well as training and mentoring leaders within the company.

He credits his year of service in the Vietnam War with teaching him the value of training people to take care of themselves. He has applied that lesson, and several others from his military career, to his manufacturing business and to his 35-year involvement with the Boy Scouts of America.

A board member of the Manufacturers Association of Plastics Partners, Cunningham has also volunteered countless hours to the Boy Scouts’ Crossroads of America Council in Indianapolis. He has served as a board member, state fair coordinator, canoe training program director, and district chair.

For his military service, Cunningham was awarded a Bronze Star for Valor, a Defense Meritorious Service Medal, and six other Meritorious Service Medals from other military organizations.

Cunningham resides in Indianapolis, Ind., with his wife, Catherine. They have two grown children.